Oman, Muscat
Reminiscent of a lost Arabia, this ancient port city picturesquely perched on the Gulf of Oman is a history buff’s dream. The capital of Oman is renowned for its stunning architecture and famous historical sites, from formidable Portuguese-built forts, to royal palaces, and blue-domed, mosaic-covered mosques. A desert location means that the capital is drenched in sunshine most days of the year, and its coastal setting allows for endless opportunities to swim, snorkel and sail around the turquoise harbour. From April to August, visitors may even spot critically endangered hawksbill sea turtles nesting on the city's beaches.
Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque dominates the skyline of Muscat, and is one of the most beautiful and extravagant modern mosques in the world. Completed in 2001, it is an architectural ode to exquisite Islamic tilework, with long exterior corridors lined with niches that feature traditional patterns from several different religious periods. Inside, the main prayer hall is home to the second-largest Persian rug in the world, and the second-largest chandelier, bedecked in 24-karat gold and 600,000 Swarovski crystals, weighing in at 8.5 tons.
Wadi Shab
Just out of Muscat, Wadi Shab (Or Wadi Ash Shab) is a stunning gorge hike with crystal-clear water, secret rock pools and hidden caves, and incredible views. The narrow canyon with archaeological history is home to invitingly warm blue water pools - swim through them all and enter a cave to discover a secret waterfall inside. With freshwater cascading from the mountaintops of Bani Jaber meeting the briny sea water on its banks, this wadi is an environmentally diverse combination of beautiful coastal nature and mountain formations, making it the most outstanding in the Sultanate.
High sea adventures
Ringed by the Arabian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and the Oman Sea, Oman has an extensive coastline with a treasure trove of marine life to discover. So channel your inner Sinbad and hop on your motorised or non-motorised craft of choice - be it Watercooled powered By Uniboats, or sailing on the Hobie Cat, H12 or H15 boats. While on the high seas, you may spot dolphins - Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins, the Risso’s Dolphins, Common Bottlenose Dolphins, the Spinner Dolphins and the Indian Ocean Dolphins - that visit the inviting shores of Muscat frequently. Or take a plunge into the deep blue for some scuba, and enter a magical realm of the world's most beautiful corals, turtles, honeycomb morays, tuna, lion fish, trigger fish, and parrot fish.